There are so many different things I just LOVE about living in Mentor, Ohio. It's such a pretty city, so many things to see and do. Trees are abundant in Mentor. I am sure that's one of the reasons why Greater Cleveland... of which Mentor is a part... is referred to as The Forest City. (Did you know that ?)

Mentor is also on the southern edge of what has become once again... beautiful Lake Erie. Thirty or forty years ago... very few would have called it that... but wow... Lake Erie has come back "in style."

With all that water, and with all those trees... Mentor also has more than it's share of birds. And Ducks. And... Geese. Of course, geese fly south for the winter, and north for the summer. At least they used to.

Somehow or other... with the climate change that is going on... and with Cleveland more likely than not to have Winters like the one that just ended... (which really wasn't much of a Winter, at all)... somehow many of the Canadian Geese that used to fly south from Canada... and used to bypass Northeastern Ohio... have chosen not only to stop and rest a bit in Mentor... but many, many of them have chosen Mentor to be their home.

I have heard some Mentor'ites... quite a few, actually... who don't really appreciate having all these Canadian Geese around. I think the main reason is because of all those little "presents" that the geese leave behind. But hey, it's free fertilizer, so why complain. Keep Mentor Green !

About a week ago I was driving down Mentor Avenue heading towards the lovely colonial city of Painesville... and stopped to have lunch at Panera Bread. And yes, that is where I met my new little friend. I think her name is Gertrude. Yeah, that's it. Gertrude T. Goose.

Trudie stopped waddling around when she saw me park, and we chatted awhile. We had a nice "visit" actually... and would have spent more time together if it weren't for the rain.

Please... do me a favor. If you happen to be out near that Panera Bread on Mentor Avenue, and see Gertrude T. Goose and her friends... please tell her that Carolyn said Hi !

I'll probably be down the street in my office on the west side of Center Street (just north of Mentor Avenue at 7400 Center Street... corner of Prospect St). And... if you need help finding a "goose" of your own, and a home with a nice back yard to put it in... please call me... Carolyn Kolba... at (440) 567-7211.